War of the Cities: Victor Ortiz vs. Josesito Lopez and More

Southern California is jammed-packed with prize fights but the war between the cities of Ventura and Riverside heads the list of conflicts.

Former welterweight world champion “Vicious” Victor Ortiz (29-3-2, 22 KOs) of Ventura and its strawberries must defeat Riverside’s Josesito Lopez (29-4, 17 KOs) and its vast region of oranges on Saturday, June 23. Their civil war takes place at Staples Center and will be televised on Showtime.

So where and how are the strawberries and oranges involved?

Well, the mayor of Ventura backs Ortiz and strawberries are the primary produce of that city of more than 100,000. He’s willing to wager a flat of the red berries that Ortiz is going to emerge the winner.

Meanwhile, 120 miles southeast, the mayor of Riverside says one 25-pound bag of oranges will remain in the city of more than 270,000 because Lopez will return the conquering hero.

“We’ve had gyms and trainers for a long time and I don’t know how many other cities have the kind of tradition that we’ve had in boxing,” said Mayor Ron Loveridge.

Ventura’s Ortiz is a hard-hitting southpaw who formerly held the WBC welterweight title, but lost to Floyd “Money” Mayweather in 2011. Both he and Lopez are very likeable warriors but inside the boxing ropes they’re equally determined to conquer the other.

“I know Josesito (Lopez) is ready to go and so am I,” said Ortiz during a conference call.

Unlike Ortiz, the Riverside prizefighter has never fought at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

“It’s always great to fight in a place like the Staples Center,” said Lopez, who was a replacement for former world champion Andre Berto to fight former world champion Ortiz. “(Ortiz) is a great fighter. An exceptional fighter, but we’re ready for it.”

Lopez had been scheduled to fight Kendall Holt on June 22. When the site changed from Morongo Casino to an outdoor venue Soboba Casino, the New Jersey-based Holt decided to pull out. Lopez was left without an opponent.

Ortiz was scheduled to face Berto but when that fighter tested positive for performance enhancement drugs, the fight was canceled. When Ortiz’s promoter Golden Boy Promotions looked for a suitable opponent they saw that Lopez was available. The Riverside prizefighter had almost beaten another Golden Boy fighter Jessie Vargas earlier in the year. Lopez was asked to face Ortiz and consented.

“It was a slam dunk,” said Lopez’s trainer and manager Henry Ramirez. “Not only is it a bigger fight against a more prestigious opponent, it’s for 10 times more money.”

Lopez said he’s not thinking about the money but more on lifting his own status.

“I’m a little bit on the quiet side. Not a lot of people hear from me, but those that have seen me, know I can fight. After this fight people will definitely know who I am.”

Recently, Golden Boy Promotions announced that an agreement was made to have Ortiz fight Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in Las Vegas on Sept. 15. It seemed premature.

“I took it as disrespectful,” said Lopez. “It pushes me that much harder to get in there and kick Victor’s butt.”

Around the Inland areas several fighters including Timothy Bradley Jr. and Julio Diaz believe that Lopez could upset Ortiz’s plans to fight Alvarez in September.

“Victor is fighting a real fighter,” said Diaz. “Josesito is the real deal, he’s not a pushover.”

Ortiz knows what ordeal he’ll be engaging and is not flustered.

“I don’t disrespect anyone. As far as I’m concerned I’m fighting a great fighter in Josesito. I don’t really care about Canelo right now. There is a dangerous fighter that is in the route I was in a year ago,” says Ortiz.

A year ago Ortiz shocked most of the fight world by defeating Berto to win the WBC welterweight title.

Other city wars

Starting on Friday, two boxing cards take place in different locations in the Inland area.

Arellano has steadily moved up the ranks as a prospect but has not faced an opponent with Beranza’s experience and know how. The Mexico City veteran has fought numerous world champions and is the only boxer to beat Puerto Rico’s rugged Jesus Rojas who fought Jorge Arce a couple of weeks ago. That fight was stopped for a no decision. Don’t expect an easy fight.

Dallas returns to the Inland area after a solid win in Texas. He’s fought twice before but didn’t fare well against two Riverside boxers, Josesito Lopez and Mauricio Herrera. But this time he faces Mexican slugger Castro who has a three-fight win streak, all by knockout.

Also on the Soboba Casino fight card is former U.S. Olympian Javier Molina (10-1, 4 KOs) fighting Octavio Narvaez (7-11-1) in a junior middleweight contest.

maidana is ortiz's daddy. maidana made ortiz quit and he said he didnt deserve a beating like that from his daddy. lol. until ortiz beats maidana or at least stop kissing floyd and taking the easy way out he will not get that much respect. i hope lopez teaches golden boy a lesson but ortiz will probably knock him out.

riverside says:

mayor Loveridge/lopez and a bag of Gless Ranch oranges. i really hope lopez beats P@ssy ortiz, Lopez lost close decision top the kid from Vegas Jessie vargas, Not too sure Ortiz can beat vargas, Vargas is a very well schooled Boxer. P@ssy ortiz might just get beat, Lopez has good Chin fought mostly at 140 lbs, the extra weight might help him.

Radam G says:

@riverside. I must agree with Deepwater. I think that JoLo is going to get KOed by ViOr in easy fashion in about four or five rounds. JoLo's style is all wrong for the p@ssy -- I mean vicious -- one. Holla!

riverside says:

I think you guy's are right!! lopez might get outgunned,if lopez boxes him,The P@ssy is a good boxer and Lopez will get out boxed. Lopez will go in there slugging and holding his ground, first three rounds will be exciting, either lopez gets KOed early, if not the P@ssy will be in trouble in late rounds,

SouthPaul says:

LMAO @ the silly comments being made about Ortiz. I loved every moment of that post fight interview to the Miadana bout. A fighter stripped of all his bravado .. Forced to keep it real.. Reminded us that even fighters are human like the rest of us. Plus, homey done redeemed himself against other fighters. Straight went to war with Andre Berto ...gave us an all time classic for the ages then went on to attempt to try to dethrone Commissary Floyd. Albeit got that azzzzzzz whooped but he tried. What else y'all want from the kid...his first born?

War Riverside!!!!! Partied many a days right behind and below that rooftop scenery. University St....downtown in the houssssssssse!

riverside says:

LMAO @ the silly comments being made about Ortiz. I loved every moment of that post fight interview to the Miadana bout. A fighter stripped of all his bravado .. Forced to keep it real.. Reminded us that even fighters are human like the rest of us. Plus, homey done redeemed himself against other fighters. Straight went to war with Andre Berto ...gave us an all time classic for the ages then went on to attempt to try to dethrone Commissary Floyd. Albeit got that azzzzzzz whooped but he tried. What else y'all want from the kid...his first born?

War Riverside!!!!! Partied many a days right behind and below that rooftop scenery. University St....downtown in the houssssssssse!

@sp that picture looks like from new county building lime/university facing toward the west opposite from the mission inn. P@ssy Ortiz quit vs Maidana, fought 4 dead bodies including Nate Campbell a blown jr welterweight/ vivian harris/ and a 50 year old antonio diaz and sombody name alatorre, then fought peterson to draw, got lucky vs over rated Berto , almost ko, he was out on his feet in the sixth round. then the moneymay fight, way over his head, he kissed him more times the he actually hit him. Sounds like has not earned a shot at Canelo and another big payday.

SouthPaul says:

Yes, that's exactly what it appears to me as well... I believe way off in the distance to the right of Josesito's neck Is the Marriott. Know the area well. Run thru Lake Alice once and a while. No offense, man, but the got lucky comment is whack. When it comes to luck inside the ring I don't think it really exist. If a fighter trains and fights for a living and then goes inside the ring and tears thru another man then no way that got anything to do with being lucky. Lucky is you walking down the street and finding an unexpected bag of loot. They told me Tarver got lucky with Roy JOnes because he was supposedly closing his eyes when he threw that punch from one side of the arena to the other but I didn't accept it. To me, appeared he was just squinting from the incoming when he launched off on that dome.

ali says:

I hope the pussy wins so my boi Canelo can really give a a** whoopin.

deepwater says:

Ortiz said "I'm young, but I don't think I deserve to be getting beaten up like this. I have a lot of thinking to do.". So much for his moniker "Vicious"... lil ortiz better not make his daddy mad again or the belt might be used next time. ortiz tell your daddy your sorry and wont ever act like a punk again.lol

deepwater says:

Ortiz said "I'm young, but I don't think I deserve to be getting beaten up like this. I have a lot of thinking to do.". So much for his moniker "Vicious"... lil ortiz better not make his daddy mad again or the belt might be used next time. ortiz tell your daddy your sorry and wont ever act like a punk again.lol

SouthPaul says:

Yea, those were great raw and unedited comments. No time to rehearse or script up some fake bravado sounding like a damn super hero. Love the realness myself.

ali says:

Deepwater that sh*t was funny *** hell.

brownsugar says:

I like this fight,... just going to sit back and eat popcorn.

brownsugar says:

I like this fight,... just going to sit back and eat popcorn.

riverside says:

lopez is descent fighter, good power at the junior welterweight, never been down! long frame,the extra weight should help his pop, I can see P@ssy ortiz trying to blow Lopez out early, to look spectacular!! and start promoting the Canelo fight,We have seen in the past few too many times, when boxers overlook their current opponent, for their next mega fight. Lopez should weather the storm early and make it interesting, i think it's going to be a close fight, because of Ortiz past of abandoning his game plan and Lopez is very well discipline and trained, gotta go with the west side riverside native.

SP, big cheese on lime and mission Inn might? higher end sports bar/ pizza parlor used to be brewery restaurant been there forever,was remodeled and good/clean place to hang out,they might?

brownsugar says:

Ultimo ......my casual prediction is ..... Ortiz takes a few rounds to get acclimated then proceeds to shred Lopez...... Then calls out Bradley. Lopez throws too many punches...I think he'all get countered by hard shots.